Imran may announce action against PTI MPAs today

Alleged horse trading

PESHAWAR - Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan will arrive in the provincial metropolis today to hold an important meeting with the party leaders in the aftermath of Senate elections, in which as many as 17 PTI MPAs had allegedly cast their votes in favour of the candidates of rival parties.

Khan is also expected to announce action against the PTI Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly members alleged of having been sold out their votes in the elections to the Upper House of the Parliament held on March 3.

Sources in the PTI said that Khan would chair a meeting at the CM House to discuss the situation emerged after the allegations levelled against his party lawmakers of involvement in horse trading in the Senate elections. It is unclear as to what action could possibly be taken against the PTI MPAs for crossing the floor. However, it is believed that show cause notices could be served on them first, the sources said.

According to the sources, majority of the suspected PTI MPAs are those who are dissident.

Since the Senate elections, it will be Khan’s first visit to the city. During his day-long visit to the city, a number of important matters would be taken up. Khan would also visit the party membership drive camps on Ring Road.

The issue of horse trading would be discussed and a possible decision against the MPAs for allegedly selling their votes in the Senate polls is likely to be announced during a news conference after the meeting, sources said.

Angry over horse trading in the Senate elections, particularly involvement of his party’s MPAs in the practice, the PTI chairman had already hinted of taking action in this regard. The possible action could be expulsion of the MPAs suspected of having sold out their votes, the sources said.

A PTI committee probing alleged selling of votes in the Senate elections had forwarded its report to the party chief on Sunday, sources said, adding that the report also included a list of the suspected legislators. More information about horse trading would also be shared with the PTI chief in today’s meeting, they said, adding that alongside male PMAs, a few female legislators are also suspected to have sold their votes.

PTI MPA from Peshawar Shaukat Yousafzai while talking to a private TV channel said that names of the MPAs constantly appearing on media should explain their positions whether they had or not been involved in selling their votes. He said that in the first phase, show cause notices might be served to the alleged legislators of the PTI.